Seattle Symphony and Opera Players’ Organization Sunday unanimously rejected symphony management’s “last and best” offer. Read the details in David Brewster’s report in Crosscut.

“The last extension of the musicians’ contract (collective bargaining agreement) with the SSO expired at midnight Dec. 31, and the musicians have already passed a strike authorization, if warranted,” the union said in a statement. “No work stoppage is anticipated at this time.”

Seattle Symphony issued the following response to the musicians’ union vote on the contract offer:

“The board and management of Seattle Symphony are very disappointed that the Seattle Symphony and Opera Players’ Organization has rejected the offer that we have given them during our negotiations.

“Over the past eight months we have been very specific about the financial position that the Symphony is in, and how important the musicians are to us. We have made it very clear that there is a need for a long-term plan and solution to the financial situation we are encountering and we’re reluctantly asking the musicians to make concessions to help us create a stable and solid future for the Symphony.

“We intend to go back to the bargaining table as quickly as the union will meet with us, and seek to find a speedy resolution to this situation so that we can get back to the business of presenting artistically exciting performances for our community. We anticipate all performances to go forward as planned.”